Myth Of Winter

Parmeshwar Devkota

Healthcare workers of the Kathmandu Valley and elsewhere take excessive caution for the health of citizens when cold-induced diseases cause fears among them. Likewise, some writers tell tenacious stories on the brumal agonies which give rise to fears among the gullible people. The fear of winter prompts them to spend a good chunk of money on heavy and warm clothes. In context of the Kathmandu Valley and the southern plains, there is no need of down jackets and heavy clothes as John Ruskin says, ‘There is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather’.  

So, let’s not vilify the winter season but consider it as a symbol yin-yang. It is one of the philosophical creations of mankind which helps us to make a balanced thought on persons or things. Yin-yang was created by Chinese philosopher Zhao Huiqian which describes opposite things, behaviours and motions. It argues that even the opposite things are also interconnected.  As for example, male and female, north and south, summer and winter are all interrelated.  

So, with the help of yin-yang, we can say that the winter season also has some bright sides. If we are very lazy, the winter season may be boon to us as it allows us to sleep more hours. If we are manual labourers, this season it helps us free from exertions and overwork with significantly less working hours. Another medically proven fact is that health hazards and diseases are significantly low in this season while our apatite is good. It is not the killer season instead of a fine one. So, we should not expense hard earned money on buying unnecessary clothes.  

As Yin-yang teaches us how much harsh the winter season may be, we have to bear it, because it is another side of life. It is one of the four seasons created by the planetary movements. Despite mathematical and logical side of life, there is equally another strong side of life i.e. mythical side. Challenging the planetary shift in the cosmos, a Greek mythical story tells us about the beginning of the winter season. 

In Greek mythology, Demeter (Dimita) was the goddess of harvest, farming and fertility. She had a beautiful daughter named Persephone (Stephaney). One bad evening Persephone came out of home for strolling around the meadow. As she was roaming in the meadow, she saw a blooming narcissus (daffodil). As she rushed to unplug the blooming flower, the earth opened. The God of the underworld, Hades, opened the earth and dragged her to the underworld making her queen without the knowledge of her mother Demeter. 

Demeter searched her nine days and nights but in vain, so the goddess of farming, water and harvest went into seclusion to grief. As the goddess of rain went in solitude, there was no rain and no farming in Greece. So, the farmers worshiped Demeter but she did not become happy. Then, the farmers sought the help of the sun-god, Helios, to find the daughter of Demeter in order to make her happy. Helios disclosed that Persephone was with Hades in the underworld. Demeter set a condition that she will not allow water on the earth until her daughter comes back. 

So, the god of the sky, Zeus, went to underworld and broke out a deal with Hades that Persephone will remain on the earth for nine months and in the remaining three months, she will be with Hades in the underworld. As Persephone enjoys life with her husband in the underworld from December, January and February, we face winter season on the earth.